This guide is for internationals who have just moved to Germany and are waiting for their tax identification number, or are trying to work out what it is for. By the end, you will know what the number is, how it reaches you, who asks for it and what the official options are if the letter does not arrive.
- What the Steuer-ID is
- How it reaches you after registration
- Who asks for it
- If it has not arrived or you cannot find it
- What data sits behind the number
- FAQ
What the Steuer-ID is
Your steuerliche Identifikationsnummer (tax identification number), usually shortened to Steuer-ID, is managed by the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt, Federal Central Tax Office). According to the BZSt page on the identification number, it has eleven digits and contains no information about the person it belongs to. In its English material, the BZSt abbreviates it as IdNo.
The number is permanently valid. It stays the same if you move house, change your name or change your marital status. The BZSt says it exists to identify a natural person uniquely in administrative proceedings. As examples of what it makes possible, the BZSt names a pre-filled tax return provided electronically and the automated processing of electronic receipts.
Each person is assigned one number for life. The BZSt states that it can only notify you of the IdNo you already have. It does not issue a replacement number.
How it reaches you after registration
For a newcomer, the number is tied closely to the Anmeldung (address registration) at the local registration office, often called the Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt. Booking, the documents the office asks for and waiting times are decided by your city or municipality, so check that office’s own website for the current rules.
The BZSt page shows how registration data feeds into the system. The information the BZSt stores for each IdNo includes your current or last known address, the day you moved in or out, your nationality, and information blocks under the Bundesmeldegesetz (Federal Registration Act). The page also explains that registration offices and tax offices exchange the data used for payroll tax electronically.
The number itself comes by post. The BZSt says that, for data protection reasons, it can only communicate the IdNo by mail. It publishes a sample notification letter in English and in German on the same page, so you can see in advance what the letter looks like.
The BZSt page does not say how long the letter takes to arrive after registration, and it gives no deadline. Because the letter is sent to your registered address, it has to be able to reach you there.
Who asks for it
The employer is the main one. The BZSt stores extra data so that employers can retrieve wage tax deduction information automatically. This is known as ELStAM (Elektronische Lohnsteuerabzugsmerkmale, electronic wage tax deduction information) and is set out in Section 39e(2) of the Einkommensteuergesetz (EStG, Income Tax Act). It covers your religious affiliation, your marital status under registration law, the IdNo of a spouse or partner, and the IdNos of any minors registered in the same municipality as you. Since this payroll system is built around the IdNo, a new employer will ask for yours. The BZSt page does not explain what happens if you start work before the number arrives. Your employer and tax office deal with that.
Banks are the second group people mention. The BZSt page does not list what a bank may ask for when you open an account. Each bank sets its own requirements. The page does show two links between your bank details and your IdNo. First, under Section 139b(10) of the Abgabenordnung (AO, Fiscal Code), the BZSt stores your IBAN (and the BIC for foreign banks) so that public benefits can be paid without cash. Second, a related BZSt topic notes that capital income in Germany is subject to a 25% withholding tax plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge.
Your Finanzamt (local tax office) also uses the number. Even so, the BZSt says you can submit an income tax return without an IdNo, and that tax offices know this.
If it has not arrived or you cannot find it
If you have been in Germany for a while, the number may already be in your paperwork. The BZSt lists the usual places: your Einkommensteuerbescheid (income tax assessment) and your Lohnsteuerbescheinigung (employment tax statement). It also mentions an information letter that tax offices sent in October or November 2011, which only matters to people who lived in Germany then. The ELSTER online portal has information about ELStAM.
If you cannot find the number there, the BZSt says you can request it through its online input form or by letter. It will still only be sent by post. The BZSt will send it to an address other than your registered one only if you provide a written letter of authority together with a copy of a valid personal ID.
If the cause is your registration itself, for example an address recorded incorrectly, the local registration office is responsible. For questions about your residence status, contact the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners’ authority) or a migration advice service.
What data sits behind the number
Under Section 139b(3) AO, the BZSt stores the following alongside the IdNo: any business identification numbers, your last name and any former names, your first name, any doctoral degree, your date and place of birth, your gender, your address, the tax authorities responsible for you, registration information blocks, the dates you moved in or out, your nationality, the date of your last administrative contact and, eventually, your date of death.
The data is subject to purpose limitation under Section 139b AO. Improper use is an administrative offence and can lead to a fine. The data stays stored until it is no longer needed for the legal tasks it serves, and it is deleted no later than 20 years after the end of the calendar year in which the person died.
FAQ
How long does it take for the Steuer-ID to arrive?
The BZSt page does not give a processing time or a deadline. It only says that the number is sent by post to your registered address. For anything about your registration, contact the local registration office.
Can I get my Steuer-ID by email or phone?
No. The BZSt says that, for data protection reasons, it can only send the IdNo by post. You can request it through the BZSt input form or by letter. It will only go to a different address if you provide a written letter of authority and a copy of a valid personal ID.
Will my Steuer-ID change if I move or get married?
No. The number is permanently valid and does not change when you move house, change your name or change your marital status. The BZSt can only notify you of the number you were already given.
Can I file a tax return without a Steuer-ID?
Yes. The BZSt states that you can submit an income tax return to your tax office without an IdNo, and that tax offices are aware of this.
Sources: bzst.de
Last verified: 10 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the responsible authority always has the final word.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your own situation, ask the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) of your city, a recognised migration advice service or a lawyer (Rechtsanwalt).
Sources
- bzst.de: BZSt – The identification number, accessed 10 October 2026
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